Friendship Series
by Jemlela
Summary: This is a story along the same lines as Past Enemy. It will be all one shots. A look into Steve Addler's friendship with Tony and relationship with Kate.It will contain  Tony/Kate friendshipnand Tony/Gibbs father/son relationship. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW.
1. CHRISTMAS

_**This story takes places sometime after Meat Puzzle and before my story Past Enemy. This story popped into my head while I was working on Past Enemy and I think will be one of many stories that will involve Steve Addler relationship with Kate and friendship with Tony.**_

_** I might post the other stories as seperate one shots, or post as another chapter to this one. But it will be a series of one-shots.**_

* * *

Christmas

Steve was in the process of making Christmas Eve dinner. He knew Kate would be coming over for dinner and he really hoped that Tony will too. There sure had been interesting times since he found out that his girlfriend is a coworker of his best friend and fraternity brother. He swore to Tony that he will keep their friendship out of his relationship with Kate and for the most part he really tries to, but neither one of them are making it easy.

Steve was pulled out of his thoughts by the doorbell. He rushed to the door

"Tony, Tony." He called as he opened the door.

"Nope, not Tony. Sorry to disappoint you" Kate teased.

Steve didn't hear her as he picked up his cell phone to call Tony, it went straight to voicemail.

"Tony, I know you are ignoring my calls. Just quit it and call me back ASAP."

As Steve hung up the phone he knew he wouldn't be hearing from Tony until after Christmas, possibly even after New Years.

"Why are you so worried? Tony went skiing." Kate pointed out.

"Tony's not skiing."

"Sure he did, it was all he talked about for the last week." Kate argued.

"Did he actually say the words, 'I am going skiing' or did he just talk so much about the trip that everyone just assumed he went skiing."

Kate realized Steve was right. She and everyone just thought he was going skiing because of how much enthusiasm that was in his voice as he talked about the trip.

"I don't believe it. I broke Gibbs Rule # 8. Never assume anything always double check."

"If that is the case; then I think everyone breaks that rule when it comes to Tony." Steve said to try to make her feel better.

"Let me guess he fooled you too."

"Only once. He was 18, a freshman. He talked for weeks about a cruise to the Bahamas that he was taking over Christmas break. Oh man, I was so jealous. I would have loved a cruise like that. I was the last person to leave the frat house for break. I was going home to see my parents. 10 minutes into my trip, I realized I forgot my mother's Christmas present and went back for it. There was Tony sitting on the couch. He said that something came up and the cruise got canceled, but I knew he was lying. That was when I realized that Tony had no intention of going on that stupid cruise and that he was really going to spend Christmas alone. Needless to say I forced Tony to come home with me."

"Wow that is some story. But don't worry I won't say anything to him. Nobody deserves to be alone on Christmas. So if he is not skiing, where is he?" Kate asked.

Steve thought about it for a minute and realized he knew where Tony is. "He is working."

"No. you're wrong. We have Christmas off." Kate disagreed.

"You may have it off, but I guarantee that he is there."

Kate knew she couldn't just call Tony at the office. He won't listen to her, why should he. But, there is one person Tony will always listen to; Gibbs. So she decided to call Gibbs and have him try to talk to Tony. He shouldn't be working all alone on Christmas Eve while everyone else is off celebrating the holiday. She took out her cell phone to call Gibbs

"_Gibbs."_

"Merry Christmas!"

"_Merry Christmas to you too, Kate."_

"Have you heard from Tony today?"

"_No, he is skiing."_

"My sources say that he didn't go skiing and is actually at the office."

"_Your point."_

"Gibbs, it is Christmas Eve and he is sitting all alone in the office when he doesn't need to be."

"_Fine, I will go and retrieve him."_

Kate hung up the phone and her heart ached for her partner. Why did he think that he had to lie to everyone about skiing and then be all alone on Christmas.

"Don't be sad." Steve said as he gave her a hug. "Tony wouldn't want you to be sad."

"Gibbs is going to get him." Kate replied wiping her tears.

* * *

Gibbs walked into the bullpen. He didn't see Tony.

"Kate was wrong. Tony isn't here. This was just a waste of time." He growled and headed to the elevator. As he was waiting for the elevator, he looked toward his Senior Field Agent's desk one last time and saw Tony approaching it with a candy bar in his hand. As Gibbs walked towards the desk, Tony looked up with an expression that looked like a kid who got caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

"Hi Boss, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question. Aren't you supposed to be skiing?"

Tony thought for a second as to who could have told Gibbs that he is working instead of skiing. Then it came to him.

"Let me guess. Steve told Kate and she called you. You should go home and enjoy your holiday. I am fine, just going over cold cases."

"You really think I am going to enjoy my holiday knowing you are here alone." Gibbs growled.

Tony didn't say anything; he just pretended to be going through the cold case that is open on his desk.

"Come on, you are coming home with me tonight and staying there so I know exactly where you are come Christmas morning."

"Boss, you shouldn't ruin your holiday on account of me."

"DiNozzo, let's go." Gibbs said in a voice that left no room for debate.

"Yes Boss." Tony answered.

"Oh and from here on out you will be spending every holiday with me. When we are scheduled to work the holidays, we will. When we are not, you will be with me." Gibbs told him.

* * *

_**AN: I am not sure I am right about which Gibbs rule it was.**_

_**Please Please Review they make me so happy.**_


	2. SWAK

Kate laid there in the bed next to Tony inside the isolation chamber. Tony was supposed to be sleeping, but he keeps waking up coughing. Brad and Emma turn him over to help him try to stop coughing. Kate watches terrified that her partner and her friend is going to die. She knows that Gibbs had ordered him to live when he was here earlier; but she doesn't know if that is an order that Tony can really obey considering the state he is in.

"Kate I need you to step out while we help him." Brad ordered.

"No, I am not leaving him." Kate argued.

"Just for a few minutes; while we help him to get the coughing under control."

Kate walks out of the chamber and sees a phone sitting on the reception's desk. She reaches over to pick it up and dials the only number she can think of right now.

"_Hello" Steve answers._

"Steve, I need you to come down to Bethesda ASAP." Kate cried.

"_Kate, what are you doing there at this time of night? Are you all right?"_

"I'm fine; it's Tony. Please come."

Kate hung up the phone and slid down the counter to the ground; crying. Brad came out and handed her a cup of water.

"You can go back in. But you need to calm down first. Tony doesn't need to see you crying for him." Brad said.

Kate wiped away her tears. "How is he?"

"He is holding his own. He is a fighter and that is going to go in his favor. But I just don't know how much more he can fight."

Kate nodded as the tears began to fall again. She stared through the window at him. He was currently sleeping. He was now wearing an oxygen mask, but it didn't seem to help his breathing any. She knew she had to stop crying before she goes back in there; but every time she tries, she can't.

* * *

The elevator opens and Steve came out. Kate ran into his open arms and cried on him.

"Hey Kate; what is it? What is wrong with Tony?" Steve asked.

"He is really sick, he is dying." Kate cried.

Steve sure didn't expect for his girlfriend to tell him that his best friend is dying.

"From what?" He gasped.

"Pneumonic Plague."

"He has what!" Steve responded.

"Pneumonic Plague. Some crazy woman sent it to the office. Tony opened the letter and white dust came out of the letter and got all over his face. He breathed in the particles and now he is in there fighting for his life." Kate answered pointing into the chamber.

Steve walks over to the chamber to peek inside. He couldn't believe how bad Tony looks. He was very pale and his lips were all raw and they were blue.

"He is so blue." Steve commented to no one.

"Tony has cyanosis. Who are you?" Brad asked coming up behind him.

"Steve Adler, I went to college with Tony."

"Another Buckeye!" Brad teased pretending to be annoyed.

"So where did you go to college?" Steve asked.

"I'm Dr. Brad Pitt and I went to Michigan State." Brad introduced.

"The same Brad Pitt that broke Tony's leg during a football game?" Steve questioned.

"Yes, but I didn't break his leg. It was an accident. We just collided together." Brad answered defensively as that was the second time he was accused in 2 days.

"Sure, sure; if you say so." Steve teased. "Seriously, is he going to make it?"

"I really don't know; only time will tell. He is strong and a fighter; but I just don't know if that will be enough."

"May I sit with him please?" Steve begged.

"Sure, go ahead. But if he is asleep, let him sleep." Brad warned.

* * *

Steve and Kate walked into the chamber and sat down on the bed next to Tony.

"Hey there little buddy; you are going to be okay. But I need you to fight this. After you get out of here and Dr. Brad says you can drink; I will take you out for drinks, on me." Steve said to his sleeping friend.

"Little Buddy?" Kate questioned.

"Yeah, as he is a year younger than me. I used to call him that all the time when we were in college. At first he hated it; but after awhile he didn't mind it."

"Kind of like the fact that Tony is always calling Tim, 'Probie'" Kate answered.

"What are you doing here?" Tony coughed out.

"Do you really think you should be talking? I am here to see you, what else would I be doing here." Steve teased.

"I don't know; but I am sure you have better things to do with your time then sit with me in a hospital." Tony answered coughing every few words.

Steve shook his head. For as long as he has known Tony, Tony pulls this stunt. Every time that Tony ends up in the hospital he asks the same thing. It has become their own little ritual; one that Steve wishes Tony would quit asking him and just let him visit.

"Actually, I don't." Steve answers as he always does.

* * *

Several days later

Steve and Kate sat with Tony in ICU; but at least he was well enough to be moved out of the isolation chamber. Tony was getting better and stronger; but his body is still weak for the most part and there are still times that he has trouble breathing. Brad had told them and Gibbs that the breathing problems is perfectly normal for what his lungs had been through these past few days.

Gibbs walks into the room pushing a wheelchair. "You're getting out of here."

Tony smiled. "Really, they are really releasing me."

"Yes, with very strict instructions and believe me; I will make sure you follow those instructions to the letter. One time you don't and I will personally drive you back here and have you back to being under a doctor's care." Gibbs growled.

Tony knew he meant it. Besides Gibbs did it before when he failed to follow instructions the first time he was shot. "Okay, what are the instructions?"

"One, you use the wheelchair and your oxygen until Brad tells you otherwise; Two, you are going to stay with me in my downstairs bedroom. Brad doesn't want you to even attempt stairs, so you will be using the guest bathroom downstairs. Three, you eat everything we put in front you. You have lost a lot of weight being sick; you need to regain your strength if you want to continue to get better."

"Fine, as long as it isn't those stupid chalky nutrition drinks that Brad has been trying to force on me since they moved me into ICU." Tony argued.

"They are a part of it and you will drink them; or you will be back here with an IV in your arm." Gibbs barked.

Tony reluctantly agreed as he didn't really have much of a choice. Brad wouldn't even consider moving him from ICU into a private room even though he has gotten a lot better. Brad had said that they can keep a better eye on him in ICU. So he is lucky that Brad is releasing him at all. Several times he had threatened to sign himself AMA, but Steve and Gibbs both put a stop to that.

Steve push Tony's chair to Gibbs' car and help get him into the car.

"Go home and get some rest. I will stop by and see you tomorrow." Steve said as he closed the door and watch as they drive away.


End file.
